Are you ready to explore the unknown expanses of Central Asia? Then grab your packed suitcase, because today your plane takes off for Uzbekistan.

After landing at Urgench airport, your Uzbek tour guide gives you a warm welcome and accompanies you to your hotel in Khiva. Here you have time to refuel at breakfast before exploring the Silk Road city. Because the oasis was strategically important, there were battles over the city for centuries. That is why the old town looks like a fortress from the outside, while inside time seems to have stood still. Behind the mighty mud-brick city wall you stroll past palaces, mosques and mausoleums as if in an open-air museum of Islamic culture. Afterwards you follow in the footsteps of the ancient Silk Road and get to know the region's still-living crafts in various workshops. Breakfast and dinner are included in the price. Feruzkhan Madrassah The Feruzkhan Madrassah in Khiva is located in the centre of the ancient Itchan Kala. The air-conditioned rooms are comfortably furnished in traditional Uzbek style, and their comfortable beds let you sleep peacefully after an eventful day. The hotel staff will take good care of you.

You cross the desert on mostly well-surfaced roads to Bukhara. After the long drive you can stretch your legs on a walk through the walled old town on your own, before being invited by a local family in the evening to taste manti, small dumplings filled with minced meat or lentils. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the price. Hotel Devon Begi The Devon Begi lies close to the Lyab-i Hauz complex and other sights of Bukhara. The building originally belonged to a wealthy merchant. In 2012 it was renovated and reopened as a charming hotel in the middle of the old town. You stay in one of the 20 spacious rooms and can enjoy local dishes in the restaurant decorated with traditional ornaments, or relax over a cup of tea and Uzbek sweets in the small courtyard.

Bukhara is one of the oldest cities in Central Asia. Its old town, with over 350 mosques and 120 madrasas, has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1993. So there's plenty to discover. First you explore the Samanid Mausoleum, considered a masterpiece of early Islamic architecture because of its clear forms. After a tour of the fortress walls of the nearby Ark citadel, you stroll across Registan Square to the Bolo Hauz Mosque, whose open portico impresses with beautiful woodcarvings. On foot you continue until you reach the Kalon Mosque with its monumental minaret and the impressive Mir-i-Arab Madrasa in the historic centre of the city. Afterwards you visit the idyllic Lyab-i Hauz ensemble, which was already an important place of public life in old Bukhara. Even today many locals, young and old, meet here at the pool lined with trees and cafés. Need a little break after so much culture? Then you can optionally relax in one of the city's oldest hammams – men and women separately, of course. In the evening you attend an entertaining performance in the courtyard of the Kukeldash Madrasa, where a puppet show in English tells the story of Khoja Nasreddin's wedding. Breakfast and dinner are included. You stay at the same accommodation as the previous day.

After breakfast you visit a pottery where artistic ceramics have been made for six generations. Master Alisher personally explains the production process and invites you to try your hand at the potter's wheel. Afterwards you visit the house of Fayzulla Khodjaev, the son of a great merchant, dating from the mid-19th century. You get a fascinating insight into the life and culture of Bukhara in earlier times. In the afternoon you continue to Samarkand, where in the evening you are invited by an Uzbek family to taste the national dish, plov. The meals included are breakfast and dinner. Hotel Grand Samarkand: the Hotel Grand Samarkand welcomes you in the immediate vicinity of the »Pearl of the East«. Not far from Registan Square, this hotel is built in a modern and traditional Uzbek style. You stay in a comfortable room which, like the restaurant and café with their impressive decor, makes your stay unique. In the restaurant, European à la carte dishes await you alongside Uzbek cuisine. In the green courtyard or in the rooftop pool, an eventful day comes to a relaxed end.

Samarkand may only be Uzbekistan's third-largest city, but it ranks first when it comes to architectural masterpieces, which have been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 2001. Your discovery tour starts at the Registan, for many the most beautiful square in the Islamic world. Here you visit the breathtaking Ulugh Beg, Tilya-Kori and Sher-Dor madrasas, each a unique work of art in itself. After visiting the Bibi-Khanym Mosque, the scent of the Orient lures you to the adjacent bazaar, where Silk Road traders try to sell all kinds of goods. People from many countries have always met here, as this was once the meeting point for travellers from China to Europe. Afterwards you pay a visit to the city of the dead, Shah-i-Zinda. With its ensemble of ancient tombs, it is one of the best-known necropolises in Central Asia. The meals included are breakfast and dinner. You stay at the same accommodation as the previous day.

Today you continue exploring Samarkand. First you visit the Gur-e-Amir Mausoleum with its characteristic ribbed dome reminiscent of a melon. The »Tomb of the King« is considered an outstanding example of Timurid monumental architecture. Your next destination is the ruins of the observatory on the outskirts of Samarkand. In what was once the best observatory in the world, the Timurid prince and astronomer Ulugh Beg followed events in the sky with the naked eye and himself precisely measured the tilt of the Earth's axis. In the evening a modern high-speed train takes you to the Uzbek capital. The meals included are breakfast and dinner. The train journey covers approx. 270 km and takes approx. 2 hours. Hotel Manor: the Hotel Manor is located in the busy centre of Tashkent. Various restaurants and cafés are just a few minutes' walk away. The elegantly designed hotel has a restaurant serving regional and European dishes. The air-conditioned rooms are stylishly furnished and offer everything you need for a restful stay. Start the day with a balanced breakfast. Other hotel facilities include a pool, a spa area and a fitness centre.

The Uzbek capital is characterised by an idiosyncratic mix of modern and Soviet architecture. In the old town you visit the Hazrati Imam Mosque with its two turquoise domes and the large library, which houses a remarkable collection of old, valuable books – including one of the oldest Korans in the world. After a detour to the Friday Mosque, you head right into the hustle and bustle. The oriental Chorsu Bazaar is the oldest market in the city. You stroll through the lanes of the various crafts and discover every imaginable kind of goods, from imported Chinese plastic chamber pots to gold-trimmed Uzbek festive robes. Don't miss the dried fruit and roasted pistachios in particular. From the bazaar you head straight underground: Tashkent is the only Central Asian city with a metro. Each station is a small architectural and artistic masterpiece. The Tashkent Metro is definitely an experience not to be missed. Breakfast and lunch are included. On selected dates you say goodbye to your Uzbek tour guide this evening. Another experienced guide will then look after you until your flight to Kyrgyzstan the next day. In this case you will receive further information with your final travel documents. You stay at the same accommodation as the previous day.

After breakfast there is still some time to explore the city of millions with your tour guide. In the afternoon you fly from Tashkent to Bishkek. Welcome to Kyrgyzstan! At the airport your Kyrgyz tour guide welcomes you and accompanies you to your accommodation. Breakfast and dinner are included in the price. Bridges Hotel: the Bridges Hotel is conveniently located between the Osh Bazaar and the main square, Ala-Too, in the centre of Bishkek. The spacious rooms are individually and cosily furnished. A traditional yurt awaits you in the courtyard, and on the roof a solar system supports the hotel's hot water supply.

You start the day with a walk to the shop of the Manas social village, where you are welcomed by Mr Taalai, the son of the project's founder. Here you learn how people with disabilities in the social village are supported in their everyday lives and how learning crafts, gardening, housekeeping and farming opens up the path to a self-determined life. In the shop in Bishkek they can sell the things they make themselves. Feel free to look around – you're sure to find a nice souvenir to take home. You then walk across the main square, Ala-Too, with the equestrian statue of Manas honouring Kyrgyzstan's national hero, and then explore the Osh Bazaar, one of the most authentic markets in the country. Everything that isn't nailed down is traded here – from spices and food to clothing, household goods and musical instruments. Try your hand at haggling – your tour guide will show you how it works best. Afterwards you leave the Kyrgyz capital and in the afternoon get a first insight into Kyrgyz nomadic life. Just outside Kochkor you visit a family who show you the Beshik Toi ceremony, very important to Kyrgyz people, in which newborns are swaddled on the 40th day of their life and laid in a »beshik« (cradle). You can also watch a traditional yurt being put up. Try local treats such as borsok, served with tea – which, put very simply, is fried bread. The meals included are breakfast and dinner. Nomad Lodge Kochkor: the Nomad Lodge Kochkor is located in the centre of Kochkor. Amid the splendour of the mountains, you'll find the colourful traditions of the Kyrgyz here. The 13 rooms have private bathrooms and are stylishly furnished in light colours. The hotel serves national and European dishes, and in the yurt bar you can enjoy various soft drinks and beer as well as coffee and tea.

You continue your journey and reach Lake Issyk-Kul. At an altitude of 1,607 metres, it is the second-largest mountain lake in the world. Even in winter, the lake does not freeze over because of its great depth and very low salt content. On the south shore a few hunters still live who hunt small game with their golden eagles. The profession is dying out in Kyrgyzstan, which makes the sight of these majestic birds all the more unique. During a stop you watch a demonstration of this traditional hunting art. Afterwards you make a detour to Fairy Tale Canyon. Let the landscape enchant you on a hike. Depending on the angle of the sunlight, the reddish hills with their inspiring shapes shine back in different hues and stimulate your imagination. In the afternoon you reach your comfortable yurt camp. Breakfast and dinner are included. Nomad Lodge Tamga: the Nomad Lodge Tamga is a yurt camp picturesquely set on the south shore of Lake Issyk-Kul. Enjoy the wonderful combination of rural surroundings and the unique experience of sleeping in comfortable beds in your own yurt. The camp also has a dining yurt and a shower and toilet block right next to your yurt.

In the morning you drive to the Jeti-Ögüz valley, known for its striking red rock formations. First you visit a local felt workshop. On a tour you learn about the various steps of felting and can try your hand at it yourself. Then you continue and stop at the »Broken Heart«, a red rock split down the middle that adorns countless postcards. According to legend, it recalls the broken heart of a young girl whose suitors killed each other. From the other side you then see the »Seven Bulls« sandstone rocks, a famous landmark of Kyrgyzstan that features in many legends, stories, songs and even music videos. Afterwards you explore Karakol and visit the wooden Russian Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral and the Dungan Mosque, also made of wood and built in Buddhist style. After visiting the museum dedicated to the Russian geographer and explorer Nikolai Przhevalsky, you head to the bazaar, which offers all sorts of useful items and knick-knacks from the region and neighbouring countries such as China. And finally you drive to a beautifully located ranch just outside Karakol. Breakfast and dinner are included in the price. Reina Kench: the Reina Kench horse farm combines accommodation with insights into everyday agricultural life. Far from the noise of the cities, you'll find peace here and an authentic life close to nature. The newly built guesthouse is idyllically set in the picturesque landscape with an impressive view of the snow-capped mountain peaks. You stay in lovingly furnished rooms with lots of wood, and before dinner together you may even hear the frogs croaking by the stream.

Along the north shore of Lake Issyk-Kul you drive to Cholpon-Ata, where in the open-air petroglyph museum you see the remarkable collection of writings and pictures carved in stone, and on an approx. one-hour boat trip on Lake Issyk-Kul you can enjoy the view of the magnificent mountain scenery. In the evening you reach your guesthouse in the Chong-Kemin valley. Breakfast and dinner are included. Kemin Guest House: the Kemin Guest House is located in the small rural village of Ashu, surrounded by the picturesque hills and mountains of the Chong-Kemin valley. Hand-made wooden furniture and large windows overlooking the surrounding landscape await you in the guesthouse. The restaurant serves regional home-made dishes, and the rooms are simply furnished in Kyrgyz design.

In the Chong-Kemin valley you'll need strong nerves today, as you watch a demonstration of the traditional horseback game ulak tartysh at the village stadium. Do you know the rules of European polo? Then this sport will surely seem familiar – except that the ball is replaced by a dead goat. The aim of the Kyrgyz national sport is for a rider to carry the goat over the goal line or into a circle marked on the ground and so »score a goal«. No easy task, as the goat is quite heavy and has to be carried with one hand, while the rider uses the other hand to rein in the horse and fend off opponents. The spectacle is widespread in Central Asia under various names and with slightly different rules. After lunch (without goat), you head back to Bishkek. Here you can taste the last Kyrgyz delicacies in a local restaurant in the evening. Breakfast, lunch and dinner are included in the price. Dinner at the Arzu restaurant is accompanied by Kyrgyz singing and music on traditional instruments. Bridges Hotel: the Bridges Hotel is conveniently located between the Osh Bazaar and the main square, Ala-Too, in the centre of Bishkek. The spacious rooms are individually and cosily furnished. A traditional yurt awaits you in the courtyard, and on the roof a solar system supports the hotel's hot water supply.

Today you are taken from your hotel to the airport and fly home from Bishkek. Breakfast is included today.